Tony Backhouse, BA, B.Mus, is one of the leaders in the Australasian a cappella movement.
He founded Australia’s foremost a cappella gospel choir Café of the Gate of Salvation in 1986, and directed it for 21 years. He arranged and composed the bulk of their repertoire and still writes music regularly for them. He founded a cappella choir the Honeybees and has directed and sung with reclusive male a cappella group the Heavenly Light Quartet since 1996. In demand for his inspiring teaching style, Tony has run more than 2000 vocal workshops throughout the world for the public, for festivals, schools, universities, churches, organisations and corporate training events.

Tony currently lives in Napier, New Zealand, where he runs a community choir with his wife Marianne.

‘Backhouse is Australasia’s premier arranger and teacher of a cappella gospel. Tim Finn says he is quite simply the finest vocal arranger he knows and Sam Neill reckons he’s a national treasure.’
Roi Colbert, New Zealand Listener

‘Tony Backhouse has been, and continues to be, a major influence on music in Sydney and beyond. The a cappella revival is almost entirely due to him.’
Martin Wesley-Smith, composer, Australia

‘Tony Backhouse’s voice can be heard several times on The Cafe of the Gate of Salvation and each time he manages to cleverly shape otherwise simple melodic lines. He’s very effective at blending into the ensemble and then appearing again, wrapping around notes, gliding above the sopranos, growling between the tenors and baritones. Few ensemble leaders have as clear an understanding of their group’s sonic spectrum, and how their voice fits within as a soloist.’
Contemporary Acappella Society of America

Performances:
The Heavenly Light Quartet
Club Cheese (with Peter Dasent)
Guest appearances with the Café of the Gate of Salvation (Sydney) and other choirs
Solo performances
Bass, guitar & vocals with No Engine (Napier)

Writings:
A cappella – Rehearsing for Heaven (songbook and companion CD)
Move on up (songbook)
Freeing the song (an approach to directing vocal groups)
Australian Companion to Music and Dance – entries on a cappella and community gospel choirs